A variety of treadmill devices are widely used as a means of physical activity or therapy in confined areas, typically indoors. These treadmills generally are used to simulate walking or running to improve cardiovascular health and fitness. Treadmills allow users to walk or run in a stationary location by the use of a closed looped belt, conventionally rotated around two or more rollers. The belt can be driven manually by the user, or by a motor. A variety of exercise sleds are now also being widely used by athletes and the general population as a means of improving athletic performance, strength, and endurance. These exercise sleds allow users to push, pull, or drag the apparatus. These devices allow users to increase the amount of resistance at will. To do so, one must manually add weight plates or other objects to the apparatus. However, these exercise devices require great deal of indoor or outdoor space to be effectively used. Without adequate space, the workout quickly becomes tedious, and endurance cannot be exercised due to constant adjustment and turning of the apparatus within a confined space.
Additionally, conventional manual treadmills are equipped with a front treadmill roller and a rear treadmill roller, and often employ a surface with minimal friction between the rollers, to facilitate the movement of the treadmill belt when weight is applied. This can cause the treadmill belt to become difficult to reverse direction and hinder the ability to perform many resistance exercises. This is due to the amount of friction between the treadmill deck and the treadmill belt underneath the user's foot. If there were a multitude of small treadmill rollers positioned between the large front and rear treadmill rollers, internal friction could be minimized, and the resistance and weight could be more evenly distributed among the rollers, making it easier for the user to rapidly reverse the direction of the treadmill during exercise, as well as perform many resistance exercises.
Thus, there is a need for a device that can provide the exercise maneuvers of a mobile exercise sled, while remaining stationary for comfortable use indoors. Such a device is preferably equipped with a treadmill, capable of providing variable resistance levels while remaining mechanically driven. Additionally, such a device is ideally adjustable in size, and may be used with a variety of ropes and harnesses to achieve a wide assortment of exercises that workout every muscle group in the body.
Technogym™ offers a product known as a ‘Skill Mill,’ which provides a variety of exercises to the user, including resistance training exercises. However, the Skill Mill is not highly adjustable, and is not equipped with adjustable up/down and forward/reverse hand frames. Likewise, the Skill Mill cannot be used by a very large individual. This is in contrast to the present invention, which is equipped with an adjustable hand frame, as well as a modular cross bar. The Skill Mill deck is curved, and therefore limits the usable surface area of the exerciser, and reducing the number of resistance exercises that may be performed. The Skill Mill is also a slat belt treadmill, which increases production costs.
Additionally, Matrix Fitness™ has developed a treadmill capable of use for a variety of exercises. Unlike the present invention, the treadmill of Matrix Fitness™ is a traditional treadmill deck surface, and is built at a fixed incline. This surface increases friction and limits the amount of resistance exercises that can be performed. Likewise, the treadmill available by Matrix Fitness™ cannot easily be used by larger individuals. The present invention is the first treadmill to allow a user to perform every type of resistance exercise.